Similarly, to how society cannot function without people, neither can the fashion industry. Without consumers, brands do not sell their clothes – they do not make a profit.  To be successful, brands must always adapt their products and marketing towards the trends and preferences of their target audience. Inability to do so, and the consumer will move on. Therefore, it is crucial that brands captivate both the hearts and wallets of Generation Z.

So, who are Gen Z and what do they want?

Generation Z are people born from 1995 to 2010: a hypercognitive generation who “value individual expression and avoid labels” (Francis & Hoefel, 2022). This generation are ‘social entrepreneurs’ who care simultaneously about fashion and the welfare of our planet (Hethorn & Ulasewicz, 2015). A study revealed that 9 in 10 Americans look to companies to support environmental issues in some capacity (Hethorn & Ulasewicz, 2015).

For this generation, the definition of consumption has evolved. It is access to a particular product rather than possession, an expression of individual identity and a matter of ethical concern (Francis & Hoefel, 2022). There is no distinguishment between the brand’s ethics and the ethics of the company that own it. Everyone from the boardroom to shop floor must share the values and morals of the company as 80% pf consumers say they’d refuse to buy goods from companies involved in scandals (Francis & Hoefel, 2022).

Gen Z are digital natives and 95% own a mobile phone (Jason Dorsey, 2022). Therefore, brands must keep up with the latest technological advancements to captivate Gen Z. Ultra-fast deliveries are being trialled by many brands as “45% of Gen Z and millennial respondents want same-day or “instant” deliveries from fashion brands and retailers” (Moran, 2022).

Furthermore, 49.4% of Gen Z would consider exploring the metaverse environments of fashion brands so many companies are trialling the metaverse. Nearly a quarter have purchased digital fashion items and would again (Bain, 2022). This is a new realm for fashion brands to diversify into to keep up with demand. For example, luxury fashion brand Prada have released a “time capsule NFT collection which it has used to link NFTs to items like special-edition shirts” (Bain, 2022). Prada releases a limited edition NFT on the first Thursday of every month (Prada, 2022) – this creates brand loyalty and exclusivity – something very important for Gen Z.

Another factor which is important to Gen Z is diversity and inclusivity. Kim Kardashian’s brand ‘Skims’ executes this perfectly – “Our goal has always been to represent all women, inclusive of age, ethnicity and size” (Skims, 2020). Gen Z appreciate representation and finding products which suit them.

We will continue to proudly champion diversity and inclusivity through our products and content, and are honored to work with so many incredible women and creative partners from all cultural backgrounds by doing so.

— SKIMS (@skims) June 11, 2020

References

Bain, M. (2022) How fashion is using NFTS to sell exclusive physical products, The Business of Fashion. The Business of Fashion. Available at: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/technology/how-fashion-is-using-nfts-to-sell-exclusive-physical-products/ (Accessed: October 17, 2022).

Francis, T. and Hoefel, F. (2022) ‘True Gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies, McKinsey & Company. McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies (Accessed: October 16, 2022).

Hethorn, J. and Ulasewicz, C. (2015) “Social Responsibility and Innovation in the Sewn Products Industry,” in Sustainable fashion: What’s next?: A conversation about issues, practices and possibilities. New York, New York: Bloomsbury, Fairchild Books, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Inc., pp. 27–50.

Jason Dorsey (2022) Gen Z and tech dependency: How the youngest generation interacts differently with the Digital World, Jason Dorsey. Available at: https://jasondorsey.com/blog/gen-z-and-tech-dependency-how-the-youngest-generation-interacts-differently-with-the-digital-world/ (Accessed: October 16, 2022).

Kim Kardashian West on why she started skims (2021) YouTube. Wall Street Journal. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YwHr91A1qs (Accessed: October 17, 2022).

Moran, G. (2022) Gen Z and millennials 2022, Drapers. Available at: https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/gen-z-and-millennials-2022 (Accessed: October 16, 2022).

Prada Timecapsule (2022) Prada. Available at: https://www.prada.com/us/en/pradasphere/special-projects/2022/prada-timecapsule.html (Accessed: October 16, 2022).

Skims (2020) Our goal has always been to represent all women, inclusive of age, ethnicity and size and we remain fully committed to shining the light on them even more., Twitter. Twitter. Available at: https://twitter.com/skims/status/1271201812943499264 (Accessed: October 16, 2022).